Kochi-based biodegradable paper cup maker Leetha Pack Pvt Ltd, which is a major player in the export market for paper cups, is ready to replicate that success in the domestic market, company promoters said here.
Leetha Pack supplies biodegradable paper cups to a number of global brands including Costa Coffee, Guinness, and Costco, across 20 countries.
According to the company’s Directors Jackson Mathew and Don Mathew, the vast majority of disposable paper cups used in the country are plastic-lined paper cups that are non-biodegradable.
These are banned in Kerala, but industry players estimate that on average about 4 crore plastic-coated paper cups are smuggled into Kerala from neighbouring States, mostly from Tamil Nadu.
Jackson said, about 250 small-scale paper cup manufacturers in Kerala were forced to shut their units, resulting in the loss of 5,000 jobs. “We are ready to help them with our technology, which can revolutionise the paper cup manufacturing sector,” he said.
- Also read: The many different shades of green
Don said the company aimed to bring awareness and solutions to an environmental issue.
“We are ready to provide raw materials and share other technical inputs for making genuine biodegradable material for food packaging. Leetha Pack is the only company in the country that has exported plastic-free paper cup technology and raw materials to countries including China and Taiwan, besides European countries,” he said.
Jackson said the importance of plastic-free paper cups was significant from the environmental aspect, particularly in the context of the recent fire at the Brahmapuram waste disposal plant.
Company profile
Established in 1979, the company is among a few paper cup manufacturers in the world chosen for the NextGen Cup challenge. According to the Directors, Leetha Pack exports 90 per cent of its products, and it is the only company in India with three international and national certifications confirming its 100 per cent biodegradable standards.
Comments
Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.
We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of TheHindu Businessline and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.